Deadpool Review

Deadpool (Rated mother fucking R like it should be)

Deadpool is not your normal comic book superhero film; in fact, few films are this subversive. This will either rock your socks, bore you to tears or if you're a real big pussy offend the hell out of you. This movie was made to stay true to the love fest with Deadpool that is sweeping the nation. Seriously why are high school girls in love with him? I dunno but its probably cause he is as funny as a stillborn birth. And I mean that in the best sense; seriously still born's are like the best "Matrix bullet dodge" you can achieve. Cause with all the parents that scream, "Deadpool should be PG-13 so little Jimmy son of a bitch can see it." I realized a shit ton of people are not meant to have little fuckers of their own.

Seriously if you think your kid needs to see the Deadpool movie; either nut up and explain all the fucked up jokes, graphic sex and extremely twisted sense of comic violence or... I seem to have lost my train of thought somewhere. In any case, Deadpool stays true to the sadistic, sick, twisted and brilliant nature of the comics. Which is honestly why you would make this movie in the first place. What the fuck is the point of a PG-13 Deadpool? Anyone who loves this character should know that dick, ball, anus and rape jokes are his bread and butter.

Yet, the story is also extremely dark; yes this is advertised as a fun kick ass action-comedy, and it really delivers on that, but it also has a fairly decent story. That may be too dark for some, this is not just an over the top comedy. They actually had some rather moving scenes, in particular, the love scene between Wade and his girl, when she pegged him I nearly cried. Why won't a girl do that to me damn it.... Oh uh, yea moving on.

This film's tone is truly something to be admired.  It moves at a breakneck speed, due to the fact that it is told in a somewhat out of sequence manner. Which also allowed the film to have all these crazy moments of insane action, violence and of course that psychotic sense of humor that makes "The merc with a mouth" who he is. But it still allowed the film to have a meaningful plot. Do not expect anything grand it's pretty simple stuff but still, a simple story executed well, is better than a convoluted piece of crap that butchers a beloved character. Expect plenty of pop-culture references, and an extremely filthy sense of humor. I have no idea why I said that, cause, come the fuck on its fucking DP man. What do you expect?

Ok, I get it, enough with the cheesy jokes. While my review is full of mostly misses; the film is not. This is a surprisingly well-written film that remembers to do one thing really well. Be entertaining as fuck. Seriously, why have most people forgotten that films are about being entertained. The film is rather short lasting just over ninety minutes, and most of the run-time is action, and of course a fuck ton of comedy. Yet, most of the characters are well developed; still, it is the performances that made each character captivating and intriguing. We know and love Deadpool but each character gets their time to shine, in one way or another.

There is a bit of romance in the film it's kind of a love story, yet mainly it's about turning guys into fucking kabobs. Ok, I had to do one more bad joke just for my own sake. In conclusion, I was fucking amazed that not only was the film as funny and action packed as I wanted it to be; but it also had a story worth watching. And given how massive this film's success was I can imagine we will be seeing plenty more of good ole DP. Oh, yeah and about that douche bag Ryan Reynolds; we all should get on our hands and knees to gobble his knob in appreciation for getting this epic film made. Seriously, all bets are off, this is the first mega-successful R-rated comic book film, anything goes after this.

Brosnan is back, The November Man review

The November Man ( Rated R )

I may be a bit biased when it comes to this film, growing up I was a huge James Bond fan and the Bond I grew up with was Pierce Brosnan's. So not only is he my favorite Bond, he is also one of my favorite actors. Which is why I could not wait to see this film, the chance to see Brosnan back in the spy game, literally made me giddy as a school girl. The film also interested me, because it is a gritty spy thriller in the vein of the films made in the 70's, not another Taken or Bourne ripoff.

The story follows retired C.I.A operative Peter Devereaux, as he is pulled back into action when an old friend is in danger, his former protege is also on his tail. The film has all the quality's that make a great spy thriller; espionage, action, suspense and great twists. It doesn't hurt that the film also has a great lead, Pierce proves he has not lost a step in the last decade, he is back and better than he ever was. Devereaux is far darker and more lethal character than Bond ever was, this is not a popcorn spy action flick, this is a gritty thriller with a dark story and brutal violence, and it shows just how ruthless Pierce can be. 

The story features political corruption and war crimes, this is not a film where our hero is out to save the world; it is of a smaller and more personal scale. The themes of the film are revenge, conspiracy, and political power. The story is very grounded and features real world issues, this is not like the spy films we have seen recently. It is not about fist fights and gun play, although the film does have plenty of that; it is far more about the story then featuring tons of crazy action. The action in the film, is quick and often quite brutal and the film is not slow by any means; in fact, the action is very frequent as the film rarely slows down, but the focus is on the story all the same. 

Luke Bracey plays David Mason Peter's former protege, he is a great second lead in the film, he handles the action well and delivers a solid performance. Olga Kurylenko plays a woman thrown into danger and her story quickly connects to Peter's world. I have always been a fan of Ms. Kurylenko, and here her performance is subtle and effective. Though with all that said, the film has it's faults. For one thing, the film is paced much too fast, it moves so fast during the first 45 minutes that it can be hard to follow at first.

The story is however very good and really entertaining nonetheless, it could have used a longer running time to slow things down. The fast moving nature of the film just throws it off slightly. The film has all the pieces of a great spy thriller, but it never quite reaches the heights it should. The action scenes are well done, and I enjoyed the darker more realistic tone; I also loved that it did not rely on the quick shaky cam style, which is so overused in these type of films. Still, it just felt like something was missing, it was one of those feelings where I knew the film was good, but it was missing that "something" to make it a classic.

The film's best aspect, is seeing Pierce back in action and his performance is the strongest element of the film. Had he not been the lead, this film would not have been as good as it was. The story is good, but the execution of the story was slightly off. With all that said, I loved that this was a mature realistic spy film and that it did not rely on extreme action scenes; instead it relies on solid performances and a riveting plot. Above all else it is great entertainment, and for fans like me of Pierce Brosnan, this is a wonderful treat and I could not help but love every second of it.     

A return to atmospheric horror, Deliver Us From Evil Review

Deliver Us From Evil ( Rated R )

Horror films based on true stories are often very hit and miss, they can turn out very well, however sometimes they turn out pretty poorly. Deliver Us From Evil is first and foremost a very competently made film, from the fantastic performances to just how well the film was shot. Eric Bana stars as Sgt. Ralph Sarchie, A real NYPD Sergeant who experienced paranormal incidents, during some of  his investigations.  

Now the film's main plot line and investigation are fictional, however the character of Ralph and his wife Jennifer Sarchie played by Olivia Munn, are real. Their character arc, is close to their real life experiences. It is refreshing to see Olivia Munn in a serious role, her performance was well done and very believable. Eric Bana as always, gives a great performance, and proves yet again that he is a very underrated, but extremely talented actor who can carry a film on his performance alone.  Ralph's partner Butler, who was created for the film, is played by Joel Mchale of all people, who delivered a solid and capable performance; specifically in a climatic action sequence where he shows some very impressive knife fighting abilities.  

The story starts off in Irag with an intense firefight during the night, without giving anything away after the battle something spooky happens, then shifts to New York. The film follows Ralph as he investigates a series of odd occurrences, during which he meets a rather odd priest, played by Edgar Ramirez, and his performance really made the paranormal elements believable, he honestly stole every scene he was in. What really stands out about the film, was just how well made it was, as I said the performances are very good, and the atmospheric way it was shot, really gave the film a chilling visual presence. There are a few jump scares, and they are mostly well done, they felt more effective than I have seen in some recent horror movies.  

What I really enjoyed about Deliver Us From Evil, was that it felt like a return to classic atmospheric horror. The film is certainly violent, bloody and unsettling, but it was never overbearing with the gory imagery. If you are expecting a fast paced action horror type film, this will really disappoint you. The pace is slow, and it is the type of film that slowly builds to a very satisfying climax. That being said, the film is not without exciting action sequences, and each sequence not only provides the necessary thrills, but they are also essential to the story. 

I was skeptical of how this film would turn out, and I must say I was pleasantly surprised by just how good it was. The visual effects were also very impressive, the blend of practical and digital special effects, was what made them so potent. As a fan of classic slower moving horror films, I really enjoyed this kind of approach, it focused on building atmosphere and story, over in your face blood and guts. Nevertheless the film does feature some brutal and graphic gore, however it is more of the unsettling variety of gore, instead of being a nonstop splatter spectacle, instead of being something from a slasher film. If you are easily unsettled or disturbed, this may be too much for you, as this is a very intense film.  

The premise is what really interested me, the mix of a detective and paranormal story is right up my alley, and I must admit the "based on actual accounts" angle did intrigue me further. The story did not disappoint me, it took it's time to develop it's characters and create plenty of suspense. The film also packs some impressive set pieces, including one of the most intense exorcism's since The Exorcist. The story is not completely original, and it does rely on the genre's many cliches, however it make's the most of it's components. If you are looking for a slow burning horror film, with great performances, fantastic effects and grim atmosphere, you will enjoy Deliver Us From Evil.         

Bringing an obscure anime to life, Kite Review

Kite ( Rated R )

Kite is a rather obscure anime from the 90's, it is well known for being brutal and for extremely graphic sex scenes. However, at its core it had a fairly interesting story, with some brilliant action sequences. If you are a fan of the original anime, this will be a bit of a mixed bag. The story retains the most important elements of the original while moving the story to a setting reminiscent of The Road Warrior. The story is set in a distant future where the economy has collapsed, years after her family was murdered Sawa has grown into a very capable assassin. Sawa is out for revenge with the help of a cop Karl Acker, and a mysterious man from her past. 

The rewritten storyline is actually intriguing, they have added many new elements and made the film far more of a post-apocalyptic thriller than the anime was. The lead actress playing Sawa surprised me, her performance was very good. She played the damaged and traumatized Sawa quite effectively, she also was fairly capable in the films brief action scenes. Samuel L Jackson gave a solid performance, though it was nothing out of the norm for him. Finally, Callan Mculiffe plays Oburi, A friend from Sawa's past, his performance was good, but nothing spectacular. The best element in this film is India Eisley's phenomenal performance, she managed to portray great strength while showing such vulnerability.

The film does have several scenes that pay homage to the original anime; however with the exception of the opening scene they fall rather flat. The film also does not feature any of the graphic sex scenes found in the anime, but I will say that it is not a bad thing to remove the pornographic content as they were the weakest element of the anime. The main story element that used the sexual content, is still present in the film in a slightly different manner. The way the movie was shot is very erratic, but added to the stories presentation. The sets also did seem very authentic and didn't feel cheap or fake, which added to the atmosphere of the film. 

The movie honestly had a good bit going for it, but what held the anime together was the great action scenes. Something this film clearly lacks, while the first two sequences show promise and the brutal violence found in the anime. What follows are some pretty flat and uninspired action scenes, the restroom shootout, for example, was a particularly dull affair; which is a shame as it is one of the standout sequences found in the anime, the stunts and hand to hand combat just felt off. It lacked impact and any real visceral flair, to top that off the end of the film lacks a satisfying finale. The film has some very gory deaths, the visual effects are stellar with great use of real practical effects and minimal CGI. The film does not skimp on the violence, in fact, it may have more blood and guts than the anime did.

If you enjoy gritty, dark and twisted stories, you may well enjoy this film; the story's twists are interesting, and even though this is an adaptation they were done in such a manner that felt original. I never expected it to be better than the source, what I did expect was for it to bring the story and fantastic action scenes to life. While the story was translated fairly well, the action scenes just left a sour taste in my mouth. What made it worse is that the opening of the film showed such great promise in terms of bringing the anime's best scenes to life. I will say that the film does give India time to shine, both as a promising actress and action star. She had great depth, and did show she was capable of delivering as an action performer. It is just a shame that the director, could not stage the action well enough to deliver the goods. There are far worse live action adaptions of anime, DragonBall Evolution comes to mind. It just feels like such a missed opportunity when you have the pieces that could have made this so much more than it is. As it stands it is an entertaining flick, it also shows great potential in India Eisley, and for that alone, it is worth watching.        

A daring and realistic look at the breakdown of society, The Rover Review

The Rover ( Rated R ) 

Often when a film depicts a post-apocalyptic world, it is at the hand of a zombie uprising or nuclear war and, it is always over the top. It is rare to see such a realistic depiction of how the world could change. The Rover is not Mad Max, while there is action, a car chase along with a few shootout's this is not an action film. What is presented is a well-made character piece, following Guy Pearce as he tracks down his stolen car. Guy delivers another phenomenal performance, his character is not a likable one at first glance. Hardened by the world he is in, he often resorts to violent acts to solve the problems he is presented with. Nevertheless, as the film progresses his character reveals many layers, he does not kill without reason, this is how he survives the harsh reality of the world around him. During his journey, he meets Robert Pattinson, who is the brother of one of the men who took Pearce's car. Pattinson gives easily the best performance of his career, he may start off annoying but as the film goes along you start to care about his character, as crazy as he is.

Oddly enough for a film with such a dark subject, the mood is not overly depressing. There are plenty of films with this subject matter, and they are often just so dark and depressing that watching them is a mentally taxing experience. The Rover has its share of dark scenes, and plenty of emotional moments. However, like the films warm colors, it never left me feeling hopeless for the characters. This is a deliberately paced film, that spends much of its 100 minute running time developing its characters, this film is built around the two characters interactions.  

It is slow, and there are plenty of scenes without any real relevance to the plot. Some of the scenes feature no dialogue, and that is the beauty of the film, the two main characters have real depth, it is not about their characters changing throughout the film; but the film slowly allowing us to get to know them, that is what makes this film so captivating the performances. Without two actors who could competently carry this film, it would simply have failed. 

While the brilliance of the film will not be absorbed by those wanting The Road Warrior, and due to the somewhat reprehensible acts committed by the main characters, the film will not appeal to everyone. Yet, the way the characters act is simply how they survive the world in the film. It is not that they wish to harm others, they simply are trying to survive a very unforgiving reality. The plot may be thin, but it is the superb performances and writing that made this such a fantastic film. Saying a film is good, does not always mean it is an enjoyable experience. Often the worlds created for these kinds of films, are so dark and depressing, that viewing those films is not for enjoyment but the experience. Because of that so many of those films while technically sound, are just not films I could ever watch again. However, The Rover is a film I can not wait to watch again and again.        

Baked Cinema, M 1931 Review

M Review ( Not Rated )

Fritz Lang's Masterpiece M; is about the hunt for a child killer who has taken yet another victim. The suspected killer is played brilliantly by Peter Lorre; largely a character actor but here he commands the screen. The film was made in Germany, and is one of the finest films from that country. Being made in 1931, meant it was made just as the Nazis rose to power, nevertheless the subject here is equally disturbing. Anyone calling themselves a serious film aficionado needs to see M. Saying it's ahead of its time, is an understatement and Lorre's monologue at the end of the film is truly captivating. His performance in the climax is intense, disturbing, powerful and truly a stunning work of art. The film is one taunt suspenseful scene after another; Fritz Lang was a true visionary.

This is one of the most haunting and disturbing accounts of a serial killer put to film. The fact that you never see any of the murders take place; make's the film even stronger. Less is truly more in this masterpiece of cinema; every scene was shot with extreme precision and attention to detail. The way the camera lingers slowly, and the way Lang chose to have or not have sound in certain scenes, this along with the entire way the sound is edited and utilized provides masterful impact.

The way the story works; particularly the ending is something few modern films could achieve. It's not loud and action packed; in fact, it takes place in one room, and to top that off there's very little violence in the last act. However; it is incredibly tense, Lorre's monologue, as I mentioned before, leaves you breathless. Lang was a master of suspense; truly eclipsing the work of Hitchcock. This film is a milestone; I could keep going on and on about M, the fact that Lorre could be so monstrously evil, but also compel sympathy and nearly bring you to his side by the film's end.

  

A film like this would have trouble being made today let alone over eighty years ago. I have never seen a film done quite like this; it's part horror, thriller, and police procedural. The film is about the relentless hunt for the killer; but also to save the last girl taken, to find her before he kills her. But it's not vigilante justice like you have seen before; the film ends in a kangaroo court trial. Lang considered this to be his finest work, and I have to agree.

There is not a single flaw in this film; it is simply one of the few examples of a perfectly made film. Riveting and evocative filled with superb performances, M is a film that you may not have heard of, but one that you need to see. When classic cinema is talked about; this film should always be mentioned. A film this old could be terribly dated by today's standards, but M is simply timeless. It portrays a killer with more depth than most films made on the subject, and was made by a true cinematic visionary. Fritz Lang's M is true cinematic art.